Janet Podolak: Dine through Western Lake County history at progressive dinner

Today is the deadline to reserve a $40 spot in the three-stop progressive dinner being hosted on Sept. 21 by members of the Historic Lake County Alliance against backdrops of local history. The bus leaves promptly at 5 p.m. from the Lakeland Community College parking lot in Kirtland, but some will drive themselves. First stop for wine and appetizers is the Willoughby Hills Community Center, where the Willoughby Hills Historical Society will make a presentation. Then it's on to the Kirtland Temple Visitor's Center for dinner, where a catered meal will be accompanied by expansive views of the Temple itself. Dessert will be served at Trinity House in Willoughby, where Dr. Ron Taddeo will recount the Trinity Lutheran Church's decision to restore the old house and diners will be able to see for themselves the spectacular results. Get tickets by phone from the Lake County Historical Society at 440-639-2945. See our story for details.

Football cooking A Guys Night Out cooking class led by chef Tim McCoy will get men ready for tailgating season with plenty to eat and recipes for grill-top chili, marinated flank steak in grilled flatbread, homemade Italian sausage and pepper heroes, spicy beer-can chicken with lemon-garlic rub, late-season tomato salad, and spiced apple crisp with ice cream on Sept. 20. The two-and-a-half hour, hands-on class at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking in Chester Township begins at 6 p.m. and costs $50. Register: 440-729-1110; www.lpscinc.com.

RIPE! at Botanical Gardens The fourth annual RIPE! Fest returns to Cleveland Botanical Gardens in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood Sept. 21 and 22. The daylong, family-friendly event will include chef demonstrations, beer and wine pairings, live music, local food, hands-on children's activities and a marketplace of locally made health and beauty products, gifts and d?cor, all on the 10-acre Botanical Gardens grounds at 11030 East Blvd. The Fest open at 11 a.m. each day and ends at 10 p.m. Sept. 21 and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Save by buying tickets in advance at the garden or at www.cbgarden.org. Nonmember tickets at the door are $13 adults and $7 for children on event days. Details: 216-721-1600.

Shopping golden age WomenSafe showcases the experience of shopping in Cleveland in the early years through a narrator from the Western Reserve Historical Society in a program framed by a sit-down brunch noon to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at Pine Ridge Country Club, 30605 Ridge Road, Wickliffe. A Chinese auction also will take place. Proceeds will assist WomenSafe, a Northeast Ohio domestic violence shelter providing shelter and outreach services to adults and children fleeing violence in their homes. Reservations and tickets, at $8, are available at 440-286-7154, ext. 248 or events@womensafe.org. Get details at www.womensafe.org.